Aug 13, 2024

How Being Distracted May Lead You to Overindulge

Researchers find that multitasking during one activity can lead to overindulgence later. For instance, eating a sandwich while using your phone can result in less satisfaction, and more snacking afterwards. They call it hedonic consumption: “that when people experience less pleasure during consumptive activities, it primes them to want to make up for that loss with compensatory consumption (like additional snacking).”

Past research suggests that paying attention through savoring and mindfulness can help curb addictive behaviors. These studies may advance understanding of binge eating, excessive social media use, and similar problematic behaviors. While there is much to learn, researchers caution that “given that we live in an ‘attention economy,’ where we’re constantly bombarded with ads and potentially addictive technology, it may be wise to take note.” [Read more ...]